Yachtmaster Offshore Course

The Yacht Master Offshore is a Recreational sailing Certificate that is highly regarded and difficult to earn. The Yachtmaster Offshore has to have significant marine knowledge and an advanced practical skill based on many years of marine experience. Few sailors hold this qualification and IYT and SIA ensure the high standards enshrined in this course.

Sailors with this certificate are qualified to skipper a sailing yacht up to 24 metres in length (78 feet) up to 150 miles offshore and in any weather conditions.

It is widely recognised around the world and a real accomplishment – you can be proud the day that you earn this certificate. This credential marks an important point in you yachting career and your CV/resume looks far more attractive to charter companies and to other yachties. Ideally you are doing this course for your own personal development, but it also tells your friends, peers and charter companies that you know what you are doing.

The Yachtmaster Course which will appeal to those aspiring to command sailing yachts of up to 24 metres, follows the same ground as the Yachtmaster Coastal course but prospective Yachtmaster Offshore candidates have to be of a higher standard and have knowledge and practical skills to a greater depth.

Yachtmaster is an advanced level certification is available in a 2 week + exam program combining shore based theory and practical hands-on techniques for a sailing Yacht and the IYT Examination. This is not a course for beginners or even for those fresh from a Bareboat Skipper course. You need to have at least the IYT Yachtmaster Coastal, or similar level, plus the properly logged and signed sea miles. Students enrolling in this course will be required to learn the IRPCS to a high standard prior to starting the course. Apps and Yacht Master Offshore handbooks will be sent to candidates after enrollment.

We recommend that the STCW 2010 Basic Safety Training Course be completed by aspiring Skippers. This is not mandatory but is highly recommended.

The Offshore Yachtmaster is a serious qualification that demonstrates your tested theoretical knowledge and practical yacht handling skills. Anyone applying for this advanced course should hold the IYT Yachtmaster Coastal certificate or equivalent to be accepted on this course.

The pre-course requirements must be met!

IYT VHF Cert

First Aid Cert

STCW 2010 (is strongly advised)

3000 NM sailing minimum

Medical Certificate

50 Days at sea including night watches

This is a high level course and we can accept only accomplished and knowledgeable yachtsmen and yachtswomen. Essentially the course refines their skills ready for the examiner.

Students registering for this program is advised to do some pre-study. Once you are booked we will send you the course materials and it will significantly increase the likelihood of passing the theory examinations if you read it carefully.

You will be examined on the final day of the course and if successful application will be made to IYT for the award of a Yachtmaster certificate. A VHF radio operators certificate is required, as is a medical. You need to get these before IYT will accept your application. STCW Basic Safety Training is mandatory before you apply for the MOY 200 Certification..

ARE YOU READY??? As we have outlined above this is an advanced course. If you are not at that level you will fail the course. To help you assess if you are ready please download the Yachtmaster self-assessment. If you are still unsure call us or email us and we will make every effort to help you.

This comprehensive high level shore based course, includes assessment papers and written examinations. Candidates are advised that a considerable amount of private study and varied cruising experience is required in addition to the formal instruction provided. We strongly advise you to sign up at least 3 months in advance so we can send you our course notes handbook, for revision purposes. (In two weeks it is impossible to cover everything that a Yacht Master should know, understand and be capable of practising).

1. 50 days on board a yacht at sea as an active crew member. A day is defined as a period of 24 consecutive hours. Parts of a day may be included in this total, but a day is not invalidated by a candidate leaving the yacht for a few hours during a cruise. The term “at sea” is defined as being on a vessel outside of any harbour – natural or artificial – in which a cruising yacht could secure or anchor for a prolonged period of time.

2. Have logged 3,000 miles in a yacht while cruising at sea (power or sail). This mileage must be logged on genuine cruises or passages but not short day trips. At least 2,000 miles must have been completed on coastal voyages and not ocean crossings. It is important that the candidate has considerable time of actual vessel handling.

3. Thirty hours on watch at night underway as an active member of a yacht’s crew. For at least six hours of this night time experience, the candidate must have been acting as the vessel’s captain/watchleader. “Night,” in this context, is defined as the time between sunset and sunrise.

4. A current medical examination and a colour blindness eyesight examination, which allows the participant to safely perform the relevant duties on a yacht, including being able to see and distinguish lights and signals of other vessels and navigational marks in typical weather conditions without risk to him/herself, other crew members or the safe operation of the vessel.

5. A six-hour VHF Radio Operators course covering the general rules and procedures for the safe operation of a VHF marine radio.

Minimum sea time must have been met prior to the final examination.

What does the exam consist of?

Written theory examinations will occur during the course. The final examination is an oral and practical test on board a yacht. Candidates must demonstrate that they have sufficient ability to handle, dock, and anchor the boat with a required level of confidence. Candidates can expect to be examined on any subject contained within the syllabus and to be questioned on any of their yachting experience to date.

In the event that the examiner considers an examinee not to have achieved the required standards, a certificate will not be issued. In this case, a confidential report will be sent to the candidate outlining the reason or reasons for failure and suggesting remedial action that could lead to the successful completion of the course. Completion of the IYT Worldwide Yachtmaster Offshore course is not a guarantee of passing the examination and receiving your certificate.